Were you more of a freak or geek than a popular kid in high school? Are you always looking for a way to fight "the man"? Do you express your individuality with, say, safety-pin earrings? Maybe you're just a savvy shopper who doesn't believe all the hype you see in commercials. In any case, these alternatives may turn your head.

Whether you're looking for a better word processor, a new shopping method, an end to iTunes headaches, an iPad rival, or a way to escape your phone bill, you can find plenty of great services and tools besides the old standards.

For any consumer or small business, doing the research to select the best product from an array of software or hardware should pay off in the long run, especially if the most famous name doesn't necessarily fit your needs. Sure, some market leaders stand out because they offer a more well-rounded product for most users, but some are missing the features you need--or are just plain aggravating or costly to maintain.

As part of your research, take a look at this roundup of PCWorld's recent coverage of some of the finest alternatives to dominant tech products. The best part: Most of these options cost less than the market leaders in their respective categories, and some are even free.

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